Thailand stays most successful in the year 2018

The end of the calendar is a common time to take stock of the previous 12 months: successes, failures, moments, memorable for their grandeur in sports.

IBSF organized 15 world championships in 2018 for different categories of Men, Women and Masters (40+ age players).

The year 2018 remained most successful year for the players from Thailand. They bagged total 7 titles in this year from different segments. Their stunning performance was in Marsa Alam where they conquered all five championships. They won World Team Snooker (Men, Masters and Women) and both the categories of World 6Reds Individual (Men and Women) championships.

Before that in Yangon, the most memorable moment for Thailand was when their women player Waratthanun Sukritthanes lifted World Women Snooker trophy and dethroned 6 consecutive world title holder Wendy Jans of Belgium.

After Thailand, China and India shared equal number of world titles having 3 each. Where Pankaj Advani from India maintained his supremacy by winning both the categories of World Billiards, Chinese boys ruled in World Men Snooker and Junior boys’ Snooker categories.

For the little champs, India’s Keerthana Pandian won the World Under-16 Women and Belgium boy Ben Mertens was the winner of Under-16 Men championship.

Versatile player from Wales who holds many world titles Darren Morgan successfully defended his World Masters Snooker title in Yangon. However, he lost his World 6Reds title in Marsa Alam, Egypt.

List of titles won by players as below:

S. #

World Titles

Country

Player(s)

1

Snooker U16 (Men)

Belgium

Ben Mertens

2

Snooker U16 (Women)

India

Keerthana Pandian

3

Snooker U18 (Men)

China

He Guoqiang

4

Snooker U21 (Men)

China

Wu Yize

5

Snooker U21 (Women)

Thailand

Nutcharat Wongharuthai

6

Billiards (150-Up)

India

Pankaj Advani

7

Billiards (Long-Up)

India

Pankaj Advani

8

Snooker (Men)

China

Chang Bingyu

9

Snooker (Women)

Thailand

Waratthanun Sukritthanes

10

Snooker (Masters)

Wales

Darren Morgan

11

Team Snooker (Men)

Thailand

Thanawat T. / Passakorn S.

12

Team Snooker (Women)

Thailand

Waratthanun S. / Siripaporn N.

13

Team Snooker (Masters)

Thailand

Suckakree P. / Phisit C.

14

6Reds Snooker (Men)

Thailand

Passakorn Suwannawat

15

6Reds Snooker (Women)

Thailand

Waratthanun Sukritthanes

IBSF also supported newly introduced championship World Team Cup 2018 which was hosted by Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation during March 2018. The inaugural championship was won by Indian players Pankaj Advani / Manan Chandra.

This event was crisp and limited to only 24 best teams of the world having a total prize money of US $ 60000.